The Butterfly Lounge
by Vieux.Carre
Summary: A prequel for my story "Lost". After a day spent wandering D.C., Spencer Reid discovers something new - The Butterfly Lounge.


**The Butterfly Lounge**

Spencer Reid loved days like this.

He'd spent the day out and about, with no destination in mind. Having returned from a case in New Mexico late last night, Hotch had released the team for the weekend, asking only that their paperwork be finished and turned in before they left - Reid had finished his 30 minutes after the plane had taken off.

Coffee in hand, Spence had started the day in the park - taking in, and enjoying the world around him.

As he made his way along the edge of the park, he spotted his next destination - a used bookstore simply named _Mae's Used and Rare Books_. Upon closer inspection he noticed something new - the store next door. What had been an empty townhouse during his last visit (which, unfortunately, had been almost a year ago), now housed what looked like a café. _The Butterfly Lounge_.

Unbidden, a single thought penetrates his study of the storefront. _JJ_.

* * *

After a moment, he'd made his way inside the old bookstore, taking in the smell of books and ink.

Looking around, he finally spotted the sweet old lady that had run the store (and made the best chocolate chip cookies in town - _besides Garcia of course..._) - for almost 40 years. At the sight of her new customer, Ms. Rosalie Goodwin broke out into a wide grin.

"Spencer! It's been so long! How are you?"

He grinned at her, "I'm very well Rosa. I'm sorry for not stopping by in so long - my job at the FBI keeps me extremely busy. How have you been? Is the store doing ok?"

"As well as I can be my boy. Though my dear sister has been under the weather for almost a week, and is driving me nutty! Mae is so much like our daddy was. Stubborn as a mule. Especially when she's sick. Needless to say, I've come to cherish my hours spent in the store lately. And today, my favorite customer finally reappears in my store! So yes, I'm doing quite well."

"Oh, Rosa! Any chance you have something new in the store? You know what types of books my mother loves - I was hoping to bring her something the next time I visit…she loves that copy of The Book of Margery Kempe that you found for me last time."

"I'm glad, the moment I found that I thought of you and your mother. Let me see what I can find Spencer. I'm sure I can uncover something worthy of your mother's collection. But you go ahead and have a look around. I'm sure by the time you're done I'll have found the perfect gift."

* * *

After almost two hours spent browsing shelves brimming with books, Reid finally made his way towards the register, arms laden with his selection books.

Before he left, curiosity got the best of Reid… and so he asked Rosa, "I see you have a new neighbor. When did they open?"

"Oh! Yes! Two dear young men opened up a sort of cafe next door almost a year ago now. Not long after your last visit. A young man and his nephew run it, I believe. Mr. Walker and his nephew Robert. You should give it a try, it really is quite a lovely place."

With a nod and a smile at Rosa, Spence waved goodbye. "I'll do that. Have a good Rosa."

* * *

As Reid made his way out of the bookstore, his stomach made itself known. _Guess now is as good a time as any to try this place._

And so, he walked the few steps to The Butterfly Lounge that sat next door, and walked inside.

Dark cherry wood gave the open floor plan a comfortable - almost cozy - feel. Along the entirety of the left wall and part of the back wall sat a row of booths, each outfitted with a round table and horseshoe seating. On the opposite side of the room sat a thirty-foot long L-shaped bar, with sturdy high-back barstools and a dark leather footrest running the length of the bar. And in between the two sat a dozen or so high-top tables, with the same high back stools that sat along the bar.

But what made this place stand out, and helped earn the pub it's name, were the butterflies. There along the wall, above the booths, across the back wall, and over the bar, were almost one hundred framed butterflies.

"Hi there. What can we do for you today?"

Stirred from his assessment of the cafe, Reid turned to find a man standing off to his right. "Hi. Sorry. Just got a little...distracted. I'll take a table."

"Sure. Have a seat anywhere. My name's Robbie. I'm the manager here, if you need anything. Can I get you something to drink?" As Reid's mind was prone to do, he made the connections when Robbie mentioned his name. _Robbie. Short for Robert. Nephew of the owner, Mr. Walker._

Taking a seat in the back corner, Reid responded, "Uh, yeah. Just a water is fine. Your place is great by the way. I'm impressed by the collection you have here. Some of these species of butterfly are extremely rare."

"Thanks. And I'm sorry, but have we met before?" He seemed baffled by Reid's knowledge, both of him and of the butterflies.

"Oh sorry. No. We haven't met. I'm...I know Ms. Rosalie, from next door? She told me a bit about you and your uncle, and how you opened up here not too long ago, when I asked about the new store. Sorry." Robbie seemed to sense he was flustered, and grinned.

"It's okay man. I just didn't want to be an ass if we _had_ met before. I'm terrible about remembering people. Figure it'll get me into trouble one day."

"I, uh... yeah. I have an eidetic memory...so I don't _quite_ know what you mean. But…"

Thankfully, Reid was cut off by the sound of another customer, seeing Robbie's attention while pointing to a now empty glass in front of them. With a nod he said, "Sorry man. Gotta take care of that. Then I'll get your water. Hope you enjoy your meal!" With that, he walked off.

Fifteen minutes later, after having his order taken by one of the waiters, Reid sat at his table, engrossed in one of his new books, when a shadow passed over him, causing him to look up.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to let you know your food will be out in a minute. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Actually, I was wondering about the butterflies? A friend of mine used to collect them...so I've done a bit of reading about the topic…"

Motioning to the chair opposite Reid, he said, "Mind if I have a seat?" At Reid's nod he sat down, before continuing. "Most of my uncle's collection, which what you see is only a fraction of, actually got started by my his daughter, my cousin Sarah. When she was six or so, she had this obsession with butterflies. One day, my uncle found a framed butterfly at an antique shop he was at. Figuring she'd love it, he got it for her. Over the next year, he collected almost 75 different species for her collection. That was about ten years or so ago, now."

"I'm Reid by the way. Spencer Reid." The two men shook hands, before Reid continued. "And that's amazing. My friend would be fascinated. She could probably tell you about each species you have here. In fact, did you know that this butterfly here is actually native to the Las Vegas area? She's pointed it out to me before - I'm originally from there."

"I didn't know that. I've never really taken much of an interest in the history of these things. It was always just a hobby of my cousin's - and then just a job. Does make you think though, doesn't it, about where they all came from."

Reid nodded. "One hundred and fifty different stories. All pinned to the wall."

Robbie paused then, considering his idea…"You know, we actually house the entire collection - it's about 550 pieces now - upstairs on the third floor of the townhouse. You're welcome to invite your friend over one day. You can have lunch first, then I can give the two of you a tour. Let you have a look around."

Reid grinned at the idea. "Sure. That would be great. I know JJ would love it."

Before either could finalize anything more, Reid's food appeared, and Robbie excused himself before heading back to the bar.

* * *

Later, as Reid was making his way home, he made a phone call.

"Hey JJ! ...No I'm good. I just wanted to call, and see if maybe you'd like to do something? Maybe lunch on Saturday? I just found this place near my apartment...and I think you'll like it."

* * *

**end.**

* * *

A/N: There we go! the "prequel" to my other story, Lost. When I wrote that story, I pretty much fell in love with the place and the people in it. After a couple comments saying the same, I thought I'd try delving a bit more into the backstory of the Butterfly Lounge - and Reid's history with it - and this is what came out. Hope you enjoyed it. Maybe one day we'll see Robbie and this place again. Also, kudos to the whomever catches the nod at another TV show character, from the show CHUCK (I loved that show, sad to think it's been off the air for just over a year now).


End file.
